Sticking Point Breakdown for a Bigger Bench Press
There’s no way to put up impressive numbers if you can’t get the bar off your chest or you’re stalling halfway. Let’s get back to some bench press basics.
Birth Control and the Female Athlete
Women’s health is being ignored! Birth control is handed out like candy for trivial conditions such as acne. Although you may find some a symptom disappear short-term, remember you’re not fixing anything—you’re just putting a temporary Band-Aid on your health.
If It Makes You Strong(er), It Makes You Strong(er)
The only way I know how to explain this concept is by retelling the familiar story of Priorities and a Jar. What are you filling your empty jar with?
Get Jacked Arms Without Wrecking Your Joints
Big arms and achy joints don’t go well together. With achy joints, you’ll soon be struggling to grip a pencil, let alone a dumbbell. Say goodbye to ego hump sets.
Training Considerations for the Over-the-Hill Athlete
Don’t create a mental tug-of-war between the person you were, the person you are now, and the person you think you should be. Instead, channel that angry energy toward intelligent programming.
Conjuphasic Progression for Max Effort and Accessories
How many sets and reps do you do with max effort work and accessories? Here’s what I prescribe for my conjuphasic clients. You’ll notice I love coming up with ways to self-regulate my athletes and clients through exercise prescription and programming.
10-Week Program Jumpstart—Old to Athlete
This program is for those of us who love to train but don’t compete, want to look better, maintain strength, and be able to show our kids who’s boss.
Choose One: Piss and Moan or Personal Growth
2020 started out pretty well. Then all shit broke loose. Were you on Camp Complain or Camp Let’s Figure It Out? I quickly realized I had two options.
Can You Gain Muscle and Lose Fat at the Same Time?
The idea that you can maximize muscle growth while minimizing fat mass is an approach that most people dream of. Is it attainable? If so, for who?
Gym Programming Variation Across a Team
Here are several programs that were used during our last rugby season. Take special notice of the variety that you can achieve but also the range and breadth of programming in a team sport.
Transitioning from Raw to Gear and Back Again
After 10+ years and a lot of success in just knee wraps, one might ask, “Why even bother switching?” I have a few reasons and recommendations for transitioning from raw to gear and back to raw. It takes time, and it’s hard, but it’s worth it.
Tampa Bay Lightning are Stanley Cup Champs
Tampa Bay beat Dallas 2-0 in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup last night—a victorious end to a tumultuous storm of a season.
12 Exercises to Build Massive Triceps for Your Bench Press
If you’re looking to have massive arms, a respectable bench press, and just fill out that elitefts T-shirt, these should get you well on your way.
The Overall Structure of Conjuphasic
Many mistakes were made over the first one and a half years of this program. I tested and made tweaks using Julia and me as guinea pigs so that my clients (and now you) can benefit from combining conjugate with triphasic.
Dynamic Training: Should You Be Doing It?
It is no secret that I have always used dynamic training and that I have my clients do it as well. My standpoint is that everyone can get something out of dynamic training, but the dose of it may vary.
A Place of Our Own
We finished the place in under three weeks, the last 30 days of prep for USPA Nationals taking place there, christening the horse stall mats with personal bests.
Ditch the Dumbbells for Delt Training
I’m not going to say that dumbbell laterals don’t “work,” but at some point, you might want to consider spicing up your delt training with a little variety—ditch the dumbbells and opt for cables.
A Plan in Place
If you watch games, particularly college football games in the 80s, everyone looked strong. I know they had big pads and all, but so many players just looked the part. They definitely kept strength leakage to a minimum. How?
5 Exercises to Never Take Out of Your Program
The five exercises I have chosen will not cause overuse injuries as the heavy compound movements can. In fact, if you keep them in weekly, you’ll prevent injuries.
The Gateway to Optimal Health
Here’s a hint: It’s a three-letter word that begins with the letter g.
Five Tips for the Early Deadlifter
Is the bar even with your shoulders to optimize the pulling distance? Or is the bar pulling you forward? Are you keeping your head up? Are you holding your air while pressing your belly into the belt?
I Know Shit
What’s common knowledge to me may in fact be new to you…so here you go: Thirty-five training, nutrition, and supplementation gems to reach your physique goals. And oh do these gems glisten.
6 Foundational Movement Pattern Variations
If you’re not spending time with each of these patterns weekly, you’re leaving gains on the table.
Speed Pull Cycle for Athletes
What athletes can I use this with? How do I know how much weight to use? How do I peak for an event or playoffs? I thought you’d never ask.
3x3 Performance Programming Matrix
I believe that the individualization of programming in team sports is the real holy grail of strength and conditioning. The application of the 3×3 programming matrix will ensure that each player will have the best opportunity to improve in the areas of dire need.
Bacteria That Makes You Stronger
I think we can all agree that inflammations and diseases impact your muscle development and that you can use your body’s resources in a better way when you’re healthy.
Factors to Consider When Shopping for a Rack
When buying a new power rack for your home or gym, you’ll need to consider the space you have, how much money you can spend, and how versatile it can be to accommodate more than a handful of exercises. This is the process I went through when shopping for a power rack.
The 8 Pillars of Longevity for Athletes
The primary drivers of aging can be narrowly reduced to inflammation, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial function. Here’s how to manage them.
INTERVIEW: Chip Ganassi Racing Strength and Conditioning Coach Chris Snyder
During my time in Indianapolis with the Firebirds, I came across pit crews that were training at the same place we were. I volunteered my time to help with training for a season then went on to work exclusively with Chip Ganassi about 16 years ago.
New to Gear? Start Here!
Coming from someone who didn’t listen to these tips the first time and learned the hard way…
An Underrated Training Tool: Timed Deadlift Sets
You can only set 60-second rep records in the deadlift for so long before you experience burnout and injury. Here’s how to increase your reps without the burnout and injury.
5 Exercises to Improve Back Strength in the Deadlift
There are a ton of great back exercises to choose from, but what exercises translate to more pulling power? More specifically, what exercises bring up weaknesses found in your erectors, lats, and rhomboids?
3 Relationship Red Flags for Bodybuilders
You’ve been taking care of yourself and have gotten into great shape, and have secretly wanted your spouse to do the same, but they have shown no desire forever, until now. Why?
Is Your Local School or Team Training Hurting or Helping the Athlete?
Private gym owners, Chris Janek and Steve Konopka discuss the relationships they’ve built with high school strength coaches, parents, and athletes to maintain one mission: help athletes reach their full potential in sport.
The Best of the Best Content From July
Sifting through Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, coaching logs, and articles, here’s the best!
Is Anyone Strong(er)?
Is it mathematically and scientifically probable that within the last twenty years, humans’ DNA changed so drastically that their total, collectively, is many hundreds of pounds greater?
5 Strict Press Cues for the Strongman
The American log press record holder Rob Kearney used to avoid strict pressing as he was able to rely on his massive split jerk to get him over 400 pounds on the log. Once he incorporated strict pressing, as well as other accessory lifts to build his shoulders, he pressed 475 pounds for a new American record.
How to Improve Your Vision
Did you know? The quickest athletes are also documented to have 400 percent better eyesight than you do. If you’ve read my last two articles, you already know where I’m going with this…
What’s Wrong with Today’s Multisport Athlete
Why is the multisport athlete of today more burnt out and fatigued as ever?
At-Home Offseason Football Training Program
You will most likely never find yourself in a situation like this. Don’t feel bad for yourself by not having access to the weight room and your teammates/coaches. Your competition is probably not training right now. TAKE ADVANTAGE!
4 Money-Saving Hacks for the New Business Owner
If you’re a new business owner, learn BUSINESS so you can keep your hard-earned money in your pocket.
3 Nutrition Mistakes I Don't Regret
I admit it, I messed up. I restricted calories for too long, had too many changes all at once, and ate too many small meals throughout the day. In hindsight, these were the best mistakes that could’ve happened to my diet. Here’s why.
Guns Up, Let's Do This!
We have been analyzing data, scientific and non-scientific research, burned up phone lines talking to everyone and anyone to see what they are doing, and also getting guidelines from our prospective schools or employers about what to do. In the spirit of Leeroy Jenkins, it’s time for action!
Why Do Strength and Conditioning Coaches Specialize So Early?
Just like early specialization in youth athletics stunts a child’s athletic development, the same holds true for coaches. Coaches, don’t set your own ceiling.
7 Intermediate Bench Hacks
Pick one or two of these hacks, run them for about two months, and see where it takes your bench. Hack #4 was a tremendous help getting my raw bench to the best it’s ever felt.
My Crappy Diet
I have been a fat boy all of my life and have struggled mightily to be less fat. Here's where I'm currently at in the sea of macros and micros.
Poll: Have You Ever Struggled with Disordered Eating Habits?
Told mostly in their own words, this is the story of 110 women (mainly strength athletes).
It’s Not Just About Shredded Glutes
Many people end up over-dieted and look horrible due to chasing this shredded glute finish line and STILL don't end up with the look they desire. As a competitor, it's all about balance.
What Have I Done to Help?
I’ve said for years that my job (both current and previous careers) is very easy. What I do is not life or death. What I do is empower those around me to improve. So daily I ask myself, what have I done to help?
LISTEN: Table Talk Podcast Clip — Jim Wendler's Garage Gym Warm-up
Nearly a decade of training combined, and what have Jim Wendler, Matt Rhodes, and Vincent Dizenzo learned about the perfect warm-up?
Smoothing It Out
I am going to offer the second-best option that I know of to prevent injury that does not require a coach or countless hours to master. You can do it all by yourself. It is a way of executing a repetition.
How to Gain 65 Pounds of Muscle in Two Months
Based on my brief observations of the garage training crew (and conversations with my son), these are a few of their Keys to Progress. These macro components (“the Keys”) have contributed to their above-average gains in size and strength.
Relationships and Team Dynamics
I write this after fielding many questions during this COVID-19 lockdown period from young strength and conditioning coaches who have either lost their jobs or are at a crossroads of confidence. In some 30 years, I've had 17 strength and conditioning jobs...
Tendinopathy Edition: Programming Variables to Consider When Returning t...
When it comes to returning an intermediate-advanced lifter to a heavy compound, there are often more factors at play than we initially think. Perfect mechanics probably aren't enough to get you back to where you need to be.
The Conjugate Business Plan
Start with the big movement and work on it with maximum focus. Incorporate assistance work to bring up your weakest links. Do a lot of reps at the most important scenarios in your business.
Hand Position During Rest: On Head or Knees?
When an athlete bends over, it shows who is weak. We didn't want to have our athletes appearing weak, so we made them stand up. Maybe we're wrong about that.
LISTEN: Table Talk Podcast Clip — Dave Tate and Doug Heath Talk Meet Sto...
Nothing like getting together with pals and talking old powerlifting stories. From Louie Simmons trying to break your fingers after beating you in the stomach, to having rules made specifically about you.